Shine!
October 4, 2011 (Tuesday)
Here’s what Jesus said: “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16 MSG).
Since this quote is from “The Message” translation, you may not recognize these words. They are part of the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus made plain in that famous sermon that everything changes when he becomes your Lord and Savior. Not only does salvation assure you of a home in heaven after a blessed life here on earth, but it changes you. You are given a new nature. You have a desire to please God and serve him.
The relationship that you now have with the Lord means that you have the tremendous privilege of helping to bring light to a darkened world. The apostle Paul pointed out that the world has a dark side in which sin is rampant, including such things as “..repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community..” (Galatians 5:19-21 MSG).
The Lord wants you to shine for him, so that people may gain hope for a better life. He lives in your heart and makes possible “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23),” making this world a brighter and happier place, demonstrating that the Lord makes a difference in human life. You are the light of the world: Shine!